Index strip holder



Aug. 30, 1949. G. J. AIGNER INDEX STRIP HOLDER Filed Aug. 14, 1944 Patented Aug. 30', 1949 INDEX STRIP HOLDER George J. Aigner, Chicago, 111.. assignor to G. J. Aigner Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application August 14, 1944, Serial No. 549,341 1 Claims. (Cl. lac-16s) This invention relates to index strip holders adapted to be mounted on index guides, separating cards or divider charts whereby to display index strips having thereon certain identifying indicla or iniormation.

One of the objects of the present invention is the provision of an index strip holder desirably composed of extruded plastic material, cut to desirable size, from lengths of the extruded material. The body of the holder may be transparent and of any suitable color.

Another object is the provision of an index strip holder which can be secured upon a card without the use of eyelets, rivets or other similar fastening devices. However, such devices may be employed as supplemental or sole fastening means.

Another object is the provision of an index strip holder in which the index striporinsert is firmly and securely held, whereby there is no likelihood of its becoming accidentally detached from the holder.

Also a further object is the display of the index strip at an angle to the card so that it may be readily and conveniently observed by the user, throughout a wide angle of vision.

Another object is to provide a simple inexpensive and sturdy holder which may be permanently secured to a card by a suitable adhesive. Another object is the provision of an index strip holder which can be readily, squarely and accurately seated in the edge portion of an index card or on the edge portion of a tab thereof.

With these and other objects and advantages in view, this invention consists in the several novel features hereinafter fully described and claimed.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the drawing accompanying this specification, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an index strip holder embodying a simple form of the present invention and showing the same attachedto an index guide or separating card, the insert not fully inserted;

' Fig. 2 is a greatly enlarged side elevation of the index strip holder and a fragment of the card seen in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section taken upon the line 3-8 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section through the holder taken upon the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Figs. 3 and 4 are on a reduced scale with respect to the enlarged view seenin Fig. 2.

2 Figs. 7, 8 and 9 illustrate a further modification.

Referring to said drawing, which is merely il-' lustrative of one embodiment of the invention, the reference character 5 designates an index card or the like which "may be constructed of cardboard, fiberboard, metal or other suitable material of desired size and shape for the required use, and preferably formed with a tab or extended portion 8 for receiving the index strip holder, indicated generally by the character 1. The be may be variously located along the top edges of the cards whereby the holders of several cards in a file or drawer may be located in different rows along the length of the drawer.

Desirably the holder is composed of a single piece of extruded transparent plastic material, such as Celluloid, pyr xyline, Bakelite, or the like, and in general comprises a web 8-8 of generally rectangular form having an inverted U- bend 9 and a downwardly directed flange ill at the upper edge which flange isspaced from the web 8 to receive the edge portion of a card tab therebetween. If. desired; the flange may slope toward the web 8 whereby to more firmly grip the card. From the U-bend 9 the material extends downwardly and outwardly from the webi8 to provide a face portion l l, the lower edge of which merges into a U-bend I! from which the material extends to the web 8 in a downwardly inclined direction to provide a brace l3 between the face portion fl and the web. I At the upper edge of the web 8 the latter is formed with a longitudinally extending bead l4 having an inclined face I! which forms one side of a groove ID that is arranged to receive the upper edge portion of an indicia bearing index strip H. The U-bend l2 includes a longitudinally extending lip which forms one side of a groove 18 that is arranged to receive the lower edge portion of the index strip i1. On the front face of the web 8 is formed a longitudinally extending rib 28 upon which the free edge of the brace l3 lies and to which it is cemented.

As a preference the face portion l l is bowed outwardly slightly for the sake of appearance and to increase visibility. If desired, the groove between the web 8 and flange I'O may converge as seen at 2| whereby the card I, when forced between the converging sides of the groove will be gripped therein. In order to permanently fasten Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate modified constructions. The index stri i1 is made of such dimensions that its upper and lower edge portions will be contained in the grooves l6 and I9 and will be substantially of the same length as the length of the face portion 1 I of the holder 1. In the form of index strip illustrated, it is doubled upon itself so that the inherent resilience thereof tends to press the upper edge portions thereof into frictional contact with the face l of the bead l4 and a part of the opposite face of the groove IS. The upper edge of the tab'G should be spaced sufficiently above the top edge of the card 5 to enable the top edge of an adjacent card to stand below the rib 20 of the holder 1.

From the above it is apparent that I have provided an inexpensive index strip holder of neat and pleasing appearance, and which securely holds an inserted index strip in an inclined position which makes the data thereon clearly readable, and means are provided whereby the holder may be set squarely upon the edge portion of a card tab or the edge portion of the card itself and secured thereto without the use of eyelets, rivets or other metallic fastenings.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention,

at the top of the holder the U-bend 9 is formed to substantially provide a hollow beaded edge or top, and at the lower face portion the U-bend I2 is so formed as to provide a hollow bead or rounded edge at the juncture of the face portion H and the brace member l3. This not only affords increased strength at the bend where it is most needed, but it also provides a better grip when inserting the strip in the holder and a better grip when handling the indexed card to place or remove card 5 from a filing drawer.

In the drawing the brace member 13 is shown seated and cemented to the rib 20. It may or may not be cemented in order to allow for expansion of the materials or to facilitate application to the card stock, or to permit changing the angle of the face of the tab. The rib has really two functions, that is, it forms a good stop and a guarantee of maintenance of the angle of the tab and forms a closure for the section. It will be obvious that the angle of the front face of the holder may be varied as preferred, the angle relative the card being determined by whether the brace I3 is above the rib or whether it is below. In either position the brace may be cemented to the rib. When below, the upper angle of the face If relative the body part 8 is reduced.

It is of course obvious that the bottom portion 8' of the web 8-8 may be removed or reduced in width so as to permit the attachment to a shorter extension tab 6 without extending too far down onto the card face, thereby bulking up the cards. It has been heretofore pointed out that with the square edge or face inside the bend at the top of the groove 2|, it provides a square edge so that accuracy of the placement of the card and uniformity of the product may be obtained.

The resiliency of the material in itself causes the flange portion to firmly grip the tab of the card. i

In the modified form shownin Fig. 5, the same is more or less similar to the preferred form de- 9, Fig. 7 is an end elevational view corresponding to Fig. 2; Fig. 8 is a rear view of the same; and Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 9--8 of Fig. '1. In this form the back flange 25on the web 21 is preferably thickened throughout a desired portion as indicated, for example, at 26. The brace 28 is substantially the same as any of the braces shown in the other figures. In this form, however, the back flange 25 is preferably made slightly longer than the tab 6 of the card 5, and then bent at an angle of to the back flange 25 and then crimped over toward the web 21 as indicated at 29. The tab may be previously serrated at its ends as indicated at 30, and the forwardly extending portion 29 may be forcibly crimped in to engage the end edges of the tab. In Fig. 7 this bent end is seen in side elevation, and in Fig. 8 the flange 25 is broken away to show this bent end 29 in section. Obviously, in this form of the device the holder is positively locked on the tab of the card 5. While ordinarily it would also be cemented to the tab, cementing may be supplemental to the crimping and positive engagement of the holder with the tab.

By curving the front face ll not only is the appearance improved, but the double folded insert ll curves to fit it, thereby stiffening the insert for insertion and causing it to be held snugly against the face. The curved face gives practically visibility from every angle without distortion. It may be mentioned that the inserts may be of various colors and that the plastic holder itself may be made in a desired color.

Having thus described my invention, it is obvious that various immaterial modifications may be made in the same without departing from the spirit of my invention; hence I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact properties of the ingredients described, or uses mentioned.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An index strip holder comprising a unit composed of a single piece of material consisting of a rectangular web, an inclined face portion projecting downwardly and outwardly from its upper end and terminating in a brace member extending to the web and secured thereto, there' being opposing grooves at the upper and lower ends of the face portion adapted to receive the longitudinal edges of an index strip, the web having a longitudinally extending head at its upper end forming one side of the upper groove and the brace member having a lip forming one side of the lower groove, and the upper end of the web also terminating in an offset downwardly projecting flange which cooperates with the web to grip a card therebetween.

2. An index strip holder comprising a unit composed of a rectangular web, an inclined face portion extending from its upper end and term!- nating in a brace member extending to the web and secured thereto, there being opposing card receiving grooves at the upper and lower ends of the face portion and a flange offset laterally behind said web and joined thereto at its upper end, and forming with said web a slot to receive a card therein, the adjacent face of the flange converging toward the web whereby to grip the upper edge portion of the card.

3. An index strip' holder comprising a unit composed of a rectangular web having a rib adjacent its lower edge, an inclined face portion extending down on one side of the web from the upper end thereof and having hollow strip holding beads at its top and bottom cooperating 75 with the face portion to hold edges of an index strip therebetween, the lower end of theface portion terminating in a brace extending. to said rib on the web and adapted to be positioned on either side of said rib, and an offset flange projecting down from the upper end of the web on the side thereof opposite to the face portion, said flange cooperating with the web to grip a card therebetween.

4. An insert stripholder for guide cards comprising a. web having a rearwardly and downwardly projecting flange, the downwardly extend-.- ing portion being spaced a distance from the web to permit the insertion of the upper edge of the card and closely fit the same, the web provided with a forwardly and downwardly extending outwardly curved face portion having at its lower edge an inwardly and downwardly projecting brace of a length to extend from the face portion to the web, said web having a rib at its front side at the juncture of the web and projecting brace, the web and face portion at their juncture and face portion and brace at their juncture being thickened and rounded to substantially provide hollow beads thereat, a bead provided on the web adjacent the top at the inner side and a lip on the brace part adjacent the face portion for engaging and retaining a strip insert in the holder substantially in contact with inner side of the face portion.

5. A device of the kind described and in combination a guide or divider card provided with a tab at its upper edge, an insert strip holder for the card comprising a web mounted on the tab and secured thereto having a rearwardly and downwardly projecting flange, the downwardly extending portion being spaced at distance from the web to permit the insertion of the upper edge of the card and closely flt and grip the tab, the said web provided with a forwardly and downwardly extending outwardly curved face portion having at its lower edge .an inwardly projecting brace part of a length to engage the front face to the web, said web having a rib at its front side at the juncture of the web and projecting brace, the web and face portion at their juncture and face po lion and brace portion at their juncture being rounded to substantially provide hollow beads thereat, a bead provided on the web adjacent the top at the inner side thereof and a lip on the brace interiorly the holder adjacent the face portion for engaging and retaining an insert strip in the holder substantially adjacent the inner side of the face portion.

6. An index strip holder for cards provided with a tab at the top edge comprising a unit composed of a rectangular web having an inclined face portion extending from the upper end thereof, the holder having opposing grooves along the upper and lower edges of the face portion for receiving the longitudinal edges of an index strip, said web having a downwardly projecting flange at the rear face of greater horizontal length than the length of the card tab to provide forwardly extending flanges to engage the tab at the ends thereof.

7. An index strip holder comprising a unit composed of a rectangular web having an inclined face portion extending from its upperend and terminating in a brace member extending to the web and secured thereto, the upper end of the web having a downwardly projecting flange spaced from the web to receive a card therebetween, the card provided with an upstanding tab, said projecting flange extending horizontally beyond the ends of the tab and crimped into positive engagement with the tab.

GEORGE J. AIGNER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 992,233 Myers May 16, 911 1,455,288 Hardy May 15, 1923 1,625,154 Rand Apr. 19, 1927 1,969,403 Hoge Aug. 7, 1934 2,125,264 Aigner Aug. 2, 938 2,151,359 Schmitz Mar. 21, 1939 2,248,355 Jones July 8, 941 

